Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 146107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 731(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 731(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
When she blanched, he knew she had received the message.
“Jesus.”
“I imagine he no longer believes in any higher power. I damn sure wouldn’t if I had to go through what he did.”
“And he’s the one trying to find the islanders?”
“Yes. His wife was born on the Clindale Island. She considers many of the islanders family.” Desmond gave her as much of the truth as he could. Gavin deserved his privacy. Not only that, but any misstep he made could result in the death of the woman whom Gavin was going to marry.
His explanation was a turning point.
“You wanted to know about the large properties my family owns? I’ve already told you of those I’m aware of. Gabriel, on the other hand, has numerous properties available to him through his network of friends.”
“Gabriel wouldn’t want his name linked to them. He’s too smart for that. Which is why I thought of your family. George and Amelia were his closest friends. I actually expected Gabriel and Amelia to become a couple to cement their financial ties.”
Haley didn’t restrain herself from rolling her eyes at his supposition of a marriage between Gabriel and Amelia.
“That wasn’t going to happen,” she mocked.
Desmond raised his brow at her. “Why not?”
“They’re both too cold-blooded. Amelia is the female version of him. She’s too strong for him. Gabriel is only attracted to weakness, sexually.” Her eyes went over his shoulder to focus on the painting on the wall behind him.
“The information I uncovered was true, then?”
“That I was being groomed to become his wife? Yes, it was true. It was my family’s dirty little secret, and when it was exposed, it tore me away from them.”
This part, he was unaware of, and he listened intently.
“Who exposed their plan?”
“My Aunt Julia.”
Ten
“He’s sicker than I gave him credit for.”
Haley gave Desmond a curt nod.
“Don’t underestimate Gabriel. He made an entire population disappear. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is taboo or expendable, as far as he’s concerned, in his own mind. He will go to any lengths to get what he wants.”
“He didn’t get you.” Folding his hands over his trim waistline, he watched her intently.
“No, he didn’t,” she confirmed, trembling. Just discussing Gabriel had her imagining him standing behind her, breathing down her neck. “It wasn’t from lack of effort. I was close to my Aunt Julia. She was a wonderful person. The family money came from her side of the family. George wasn’t her first marriage, either. George had worked for Pierson, and when he had been killed in a factory accident, he made himself indispensable to Julia. They were married less than a year later.
“She was the kindest person I’ve ever met. I used to beg to stay with her, and my parents were more than willing to further the bond between us. I was young, but I saw her slowly change. She went from the fun, spirited, vibrant aunt I loved spending time with to someone I no longer could recognize. She became withdrawn and stayed in her room, watching old movies. When I would visit her, she would pull me down on the bed and hug me as we spent hours watching her favorite movies, over and over again. I was young, but I could see how desperate she was becoming.”
Haley steeled herself to continue without breaking down in tears. “I quit asking to go see her at the same time my sisters and brother did. While they didn’t pressure my siblings to go with me, I wasn’t given a choice, despite me crying and begging them not to make me. I told my parents that Julia wasn’t the same, that I was scared for her. They didn’t listen, ignoring me as they packed my suitcase.
“My visits with her were becoming longer and longer. Before then, I had met Gabriel sporadically when he was visiting my aunt and George. That was when my sisters were there. Once they stopped coming, it seemed he was there every weekend.” Her lashes fluttered downward as she squeezed her eyes shut in disgust.
“He creeped the hell out of me.” Haley felt her heart palpitating at describing the turmoil she had gone through as a naïve child. “When I would come down for breakfast, he would make a comment on what I wore. If Gabriel didn’t approve, my uncle would send me upstairs to change. It even got to the point where he would critique the way I wore my hair. My visits home became fewer and fewer between Gabriel’s visits until I was practically living with my aunt and uncle full-time. George even hired a tutor so I would be homeschooled.”
Her heart began beating harder until a pain-filled stitch began burning a fire in her side. She crossed her arms over her belly, her shoulders hunching as she tried to relieve the pain. Releasing a tortured breath, Haley calmed herself by switching the focus from herself to Julia.